Reclosable plastic container with readily apparent tamper evident feature

ABSTRACT

A container includes a lid and base having flanges that are initially attached to each other by engagement of attachment regions of fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms provided in the flanges. Each of the frangible engagement mechanisms is frangibly detachable from its flange, and includes at least one wing extending from its attachment region. During a first opening of the container, the attachment regions initially remain fixed together, while the wings are bent at an oblique angle from the plane of the flanges. Upon reclosure of the container, the wings remain obliquely bent, and provide a readily apparent tamper indication. Wing hinges can be included between the wings and attachment regions to enhance the wing bending during initial opening. The lid and base can be separate, or can be attached to each other by a hinge, such as a living hinge or a scored hinge.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.63/222,804, filed Jul. 16, 2021, which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to containers having lids and bases, andmore particularly to containers that are configured to provide a visualindication that the container has been previously opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plastic containers for distributing food and other consumer goods are incommon use. Such containers, when used to contain food, often serve toextend the shelf life of perishable products, resulting in savings tothe food industry and fresher food for the consumer.

Typically, such containers include a lid and a base that interlock witheach other when closed. In many cases, the lid is attached to the basealong one side of the container, for example by a living hinge or scoredhinge. Depending on the type of food or other contents for which thecontainer is intended, the container may be configured to prevent anexchange of air between the interior and exterior of the container whenit is closed. Often, such containers are configured to be re-closableafter they are initially opened, whereby the lid is once again attachedto the base, so that the remaining contents can continue to be storedtherein after a portion of the contents have been dispensed.

One concern of consumers is the integrity of the food within acontainer. Consumers want to be assured that the food has not beentampered with between the time when it was packaged by the supplier andthe time of purchase. It is therefore desirable to include in suchcontainers a “tamper evident” feature that provides a clear indicationas to whether the container has been opened after it was originallysealed.

Tamper evident features for plastic containers are known in the art.Some known approaches tend to render the container difficult tore-close, and/or generate a waste product upon initial opening of thecontainer, thereby requiring separate disposal of the waste productindependent of the eventual disposal of the container. For example,opening the container may require that a tab, pull strip, or wrappingelement be separated from the container and disposed of separately.

Other known approaches combine the tamper evident feature with a pulltab or other mechanism that is grasped by a user and used to remove thelid from the base. Because the same structure serves two differentfunctions, i.e. as a pull tab to open the container and also as a tamperevident feature, these designs tend to be complex and expensive toimplement.

A container is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/562,670,publication number US2010/0072217, which provides a lid attached to abase by a living hinge, and further provides tamper evidence that isindependent of any container opening mechanism and does not generate aseparate waste product. However, some of the embodiments disclosedtherein provide only a minimal tamper indication that could be easilyoverlooked, while the remainder of the disclosed embodimentsintentionally render the container difficult to re-close.

What is needed, therefore, is a container having a tamper-evidentfeature that is independent of any pull tabs or other container openingfeatures, wherein the initial opening of the container does not generatea separate waste product, the container is easily re-closed andre-sealed after initial opening, and the tamper evidence provided afterinitial opening of the container is readily apparent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a container having a tamper-evident featurethat is independent of any pull tabs or other container openingfeatures, wherein the initial opening of the container does not generatea separate waste product, the container is easily re-closed andre-sealed after initial opening, and the tamper evidence provided afterinitial opening of the container is readily apparent.

The disclosed container includes corresponding lid and base flanges onat least one side of the container that extend beyond the rims of thelid and base. In embodiments, the lid and base may be joined along oneside by a hinge, such as a living hinge or a scored hinge. In variousembodiments, the lid and base are plastic.

The container further comprises at least one anchoring engagementmechanism that is configured to attach the lid flange to the baseflange, where each of the anchoring engagement mechanisms includes a lidengagement mechanism attached to the lid flange and a cooperative baseengagement mechanism attached to the base flange.

Upon initial closure of the container, the lid and base engagementmechanisms are securely joined to each other. Depending on theembodiment, the secure joinder of the lid and base engagement mechanismsmay be by insertion of a protruding member provided in one of the lidand base engagement mechanisms into a recessed member provided in theother of the lid and base engagement mechanisms, thereby forming aninterference fit. In other embodiments, the secure joining of the lidengagement feature to the base engagement feature can be formed by anadhesive, by spot-welding, by ultrasonic welding, or by any otherattachment means known in the art.

According to the present invention, for each of the anchoring engagementmechanisms, one and only one of the lid engagement mechanism and thebase engagement mechanism is a frangible engagement mechanism, in thatit is at least partially surrounded by a frangible boundary, and isfrangibly detachable from the flange in which it was formed. The otherof the lid and base engagement mechanisms is referred to herein as the“fixed” engagement mechanism. The frangible engagement mechanism isconfigured such that when an opening force is applied to the container,the frangible engagement mechanism breaks free of the flange in which itis formed while the lid and base engagement mechanisms remain securelyattached to each other. As a result, upon initial opening of thecontainer, both of the lid and base engagement mechanisms remainattached to the flange in which the fixed engagement mechanism isformed.

According to the present invention, the frangible engagement mechanismof each anchoring engagement mechanism includes at least one “wing” thatextends beyond a joining region of the frangible engagement mechanism.Upon initial opening of the container, the frangible boundary is severedfirst in a region that is proximal to the joining region, while thefrangible boundary initially remains intact in regions proximate thewing or wings of the frangible engagement mechanism. As a result, thewing or wings are bent at an oblique angle out of the plane of the lidor base flange before the remainder of the frangible boundary issevered.

When the container is subsequently closed after the initial opening, thebent wing or wings pass easily through the orifice formed by thesevering of the frangible boundary, and extend upward at oblique anglesfrom the plane of the lid and base flanges, thereby rendering the bentwings readily apparent and immediately recognizable by a user. Inembodiments, the lid of the re-closed container is attached to the baseby a secondary attachment mechanism, such as by press-fitting togetherof protruding and recessed regions provided in the lid and base rims.

In embodiments, for at least one of the frangible engagement mechanisms,one or more wing hinges are provided between the joining region and thewing, thereby facilitating the bending of the wing during the initialopening of the container. In embodiments, the wing hinges are livinghinges, and in some of those embodiments the wing hinges include atleast one of a U-shaped region, a V-shaped region, a semi-circularregion, or a scored profile.

The present invention is a container that includes a base surrounded bya base rim, a base flange extending outward from the base rim, a lidsurrounded by a lid rim, the lid being attachable to the base so as toclose the container, a lid flange extending outward from the lid rim,the lid flange being configured to lie flat against the base flange whenthe container is closed, a fixed engagement mechanism formed in a firstflange that is either the lid flange or the base flange, the fixedengagement mechanism including a first attachment region, and afrangible engagement mechanism formed in a second flange that is theother of the lid flange and the base flange. The frangible engagementmechanism includes a second attachment region configured for secureattachment to the first attachment region when the container is closed,a wing extending from and attached to the second attachment region, anda frangible boundary at least partially surrounding the secondattachment region and the wing, such that the frangible engagementmechanism is frangibly detachable from the second flange. The fixed andfrangible engagement mechanisms are separate from and independent of anypull tabs that are included in the lid and base flanges.

The fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms are configured such thatupon a first closure of the container the first and second attachmentregions are securely attached to each other, the wing being attached tothe second flange while lying flat against the first flange, uponcompletion of a first opening of the container after said first closure,the frangible boundary is broken free of the second flange, such thatthe frangible engagement mechanism is detached from the second flangeand remains securely attached to the fixed engagement mechanism, anorifice being thereby formed in the second flange, and during said firstopening of the container, the frangible boundary is severed first in aregion proximate the second attachment region before it is severed in aregion proximate the wing, thereby causing the wing to be bent at anoblique angle from a plane of the first flange before the frangibleengagement mechanism is fully detached from the second flange, and upona second closing of the container after said first opening, the wingpasses through the orifice in the second flange and extends upward atthe oblique angle from a plane of the second flange.

In embodiments, the frangible engagement mechanism further includes atleast one wing hinge located between the second attachment region andthe wing.

In any of the above embodiments, the wing hinge can be a living hinge.In some of these embodiments, the wing hinge includes at least one of aU-shaped portion, a V-shaped portion, and a semi-circular portion.

In any of the above embodiments, before said first opening, thefrangible boundary can be attached by a perforated attachment to thesecond flange.

In any of the above embodiments, the frangible boundary can completelysurround the frangible engagement mechanism, or the frangible boundarycan only partially surrounds the frangible engagement mechanism, while aremaining boundary of the frangible engagement mechanism extends to anedge of the second flange and is not attached to the second flange.

In any of the above embodiments, the container can be a plasticcontainer.

In any of the above embodiments, the lid can be attached to the base bya container hinge along a hinged side of the container. In some of theseembodiments, the container hinge is a living hinge or a scored hinge.And in any of these embodiments the first and second flanges in whichthe fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms are formed can extend froma side of the container that is opposite to the hinged side of thecontainer.

Any of the above embodiments can further include a pull tab configuredto facilitate opening of the container, the pull tab being separate fromand independent of the fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms.

In any of the above embodiments, when the container is closed after thefirst opening thereof, the lid can be attached to the base by asecondary attachment mechanism that is independent of the fixed andfrangible engagement mechanisms.

In any of the above embodiments, the secure attachment of the first andsecond attachment regions can include an interference fit between thefirst and second attachment regions, and/or spot welding of the firstattachment region to the second attachment region.

The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and,in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings,specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that thelanguage used in the specification has been principally selected forreadability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope ofthe inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view from above, drawn to scale, of a container in anembodiment of the present invention shown fully open before firstclosing thereof;

FIG. 2 is a close-up view drawn to scale of one of the anchoringengagement mechanisms of the container of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view from above, drawn to scale, of thecontainer of FIG. 1 shown after first closing thereof;

FIG. 3B is a top view drawn to scale of the container of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a close-up perspective view, drawn to scale, of one of theanchoring engagement mechanisms of FIG. 3B;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view drawn to scale of one of the anchoringengagement mechanisms of FIG. 4A shown with the lid and base flangesshown as slightly separated immediately before first closing of thecontainer;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view drawn to scale of the container of FIG. 2shown after it has been re-opened;

FIG. 6A is a perspective view drawn to scale o the container of FIG. 5shown after re-closing thereof;

FIG. 6B is a close-up view drawn to scale of one of the single-winganchoring engagement mechanisms of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C is a close-up view drawn to scale of the double-wing anchoringengagement mechanism of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7 is a view from above, drawn to scale, of an embodiment of thepresent invention in which the lid and base are not connected by ahinge, and wherein anchoring engagement mechanisms are provided alongtwo opposing sides of the container;

FIG. 8A is a view from above, drawn to scale, of a container in anembodiment of the present invention in which the frangible engagementmechanisms extend to an edge of the container, the container being shownfully open before first closing thereof;

FIG. 8B is a top view drawn to scale of the container of FIG. 8A, shownafter first closing thereof; and

FIGS. 9A-9I are close-up cross-sectional views drawn to scale offrangible engagement mechanisms having various different configurationsof wing hinges according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a container having a tamper-evident featurethat is independent of any pull tabs or other container openingfeatures, wherein the initial opening of the container does not generatea separate waste product, the container is easily re-closed andre-sealed after initial opening, and the tamper evidence provided afterinitial opening of the container is readily apparent.

With reference to FIG. 1 , the disclosed container includes a lid 100and a base 102 with corresponding lid 114 and base 116 flanges on atleast one side of the container that extend respectively beyond a lidrim 118 and a base rim 120 of the container. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the container is a plastic container. The embodiment of FIG. 1 alsoincludes a hinge 112 that joins the lid 100 to the base 102, where thehinge 112 is on the side of the container opposite to the flanges 114,116.

The container of FIG. 1 further comprises three lid engagementmechanisms 104 a, 104 b, 104 c and three cooperative base engagementmechanisms 106 a, 106 b, 106 c (referred to collectively as items 104and 106) that are configured to engage with each other and therebyattach the lid flange 114 to the base flange 116. Each of the lid andbase flanges 114, 116 in the embodiment of FIG. 1 further comprises aplurality of pull tabs 108, each of which corresponds to an indentation110 in the opposing flange, so that when the container is closed, a usercan separately grasp pairs of the pull tabs 108 and pull them apart toopen the container. As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the engagement mechanisms104, 106 are separate from, and independent of, the pull tabs 108.

With reference to FIG. 2 , according to the present invention, for eachpair of cooperative engagement mechanisms 104, 106, one and only one ofthe lid engagement mechanism 104 and the base engagement mechanism 106is a frangible engagement mechanism (104 in FIG. 2 ), in that it isfrangibly separable from the flange in which it is formed. In FIG. 2 thefrangible engagement mechanism is fully surrounded by a frangibleboundary 202, while in other embodiments the frangible engagementmechanism 104 is partially surrounded by the frangible boundary 202,while a remainder of the frangible engagement mechanism 104 extends toan edge of the lid 100 or base 102. FIG. 2 is a close-up view from aboveof one of the frangible engagement mechanisms 104 b of FIG. 1 .

The lid engagement mechanism 104 comprises a lid joining region 200 thatis configured to be securely joined to a base joining region 400 of thebase engagement mechanism (discussed in more detail below with respectto FIG. 4B). Each of the frangible engagement mechanisms 104 furtherincludes at least one “wing” 204 that extends beyond the joining region200, but remains within the frangible boundary 202. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the frangible engagement mechanisms 104 furtherincludes a pair of wing hinges 206 located between each of the wings 204and the joining region 200.

In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 1 , all of the frangibleengagement mechanisms 104 are formed in the lid flange 114 of thecontainer. In other embodiments, all of the frangible engagementmechanisms 104 are formed in the base flange 116, or are distributedbetween the lid flange 114 and the base flange 116. Also, in theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 , the lid and base flanges 114, 116, and allof the lid and base engagement mechanisms 104, 106 are located along asingle side of the container. In other embodiments, as is discussedbelow with reference to FIG. 7 , the flanges and engagement mechanismsare distributed along at least two sides of the container.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing the container of FIG. 1 in aninitially closed configuration, FIG. 3B is a top view of the containerof FIG. 3A, and FIG. 4A is a close-up perspective view of one of thefrangible engagement mechanisms 104 b of FIG. 3B. FIG. 4B is a close-upview of the lid engagement mechanism 104 of FIG. 1 positioned above thebase engagement mechanism 106, thereby allowing the features of the baseengagement mechanism 106 to be separately viewed. In particular,complementary indentations 406 can be seen that are provided in the baseflange so as to accommodate the wing hinges 206 when the container isinitially closed.

As is illustrated in FIGS. 3A-4B, when the container is initiallyclosed, the joining regions 200, 400 of the lid engagement mechanism 104and the base engagement mechanism 106 are securely joined to each other,while all of the wings 204 lie flat against the opposing flange 116. Inthe embodiment of FIGS. 1-4B, the secure joinder of the lid engagementmechanism 104 to the base engagement mechanism 106 is by insertion of aprotruding member 200 provided in the lid engagement mechanism 104 intoa recessed member 400 provided in the base engagement mechanism 106,thereby forming an interference fit. In other embodiments, the securejoining of the joining regions 200, 400 can be by an adhesive, byspot-welding, by ultrasonic welding, or by any other secure attachmentmeans known in the art.

With reference to FIG. 5 , according to the present invention, all ofthe frangible engagement mechanisms are configured such that when anopening force is applied to the container, for example by grasping andpulling pairs of the pull tabs 108 apart from each other, and the lidflange 114 is separated from the base flange 116, the frangibleboundaries 202 of the frangible engagement mechanisms 104 are severed,while the joining regions 200, 400 remain attached to each other, suchthat the frangible engagement mechanisms 104 break free of the flange114 or flanges in which they are formed. As a result, upon initialopening of the container, the lid engagement mechanism 104 and baseengagement mechanism 106 remain engaged with each other, and both ofthem 104, 106 remain attached to the flange 116 in which thenon-frangible engagement mechanism 106 is formed. Accordingly, orifices500 a, 500 b, 500 c (referred to collectively herein as element 500) areformed in the flange 114 or flanges in which the frangible engagementmechanisms 104 were initially formed.

As the frangible boundary 202 is severed during initial opening of thecontainer, it is severed first in a region that is proximal to thejoining region 200, while the frangible boundary 202 initially remainsintact in regions proximate the wing or wings 204 of the frangibleengagement mechanisms 104. As a result, the wing or wings 204 are bentat an oblique angle out of the plane of the lid or base flange beforethe remainder of the frangible boundary is severed. The wing hinges 206that are included in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 enhance this bending ofthe wings 204 to an oblique angle away from the adjoining flange 106.

With reference to FIG. 6A, when the container is subsequently closedafter the initial opening, the bent wings 204 pass easily through theorifices 500 formed by the severing of the frangible boundaries 202, andextend upward at oblique angles from the plane of the lid flange 114 andthe base flange 116, thereby rendering the bent wings 204 readilyapparent and immediately recognizable by a user. This can be seen moreclearly in the close-up views of FIGS. 6B and 6C. In the embodiments ofFIGS. 1-6C, the lid of the re-closed container is attached to the baseby a nesting and interference fit of protruding and recessed regions118, 120 provided at the rims 118, 120 of the lid 100 and base 102,which serves as a secondary attachment mechanism of the lid 100 to thebase 102.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6C, the lid 100 and base 102 are attachedto each other by a hinge 112. With reference to FIG. 7 , in otherembodiments the lid 100 and base 102 are not attached to each other.Instead, in the illustrated embodiment, engagement mechanisms 104 a-104f are provided along two opposing sides of the lid 100 and base 102.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6C, the frangible engagement mechanisms areentirely formed within the lid flange 114 and fully surrounded by thefrangible boundaries 202. With reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B, in otherembodiments the frangible engagement mechanisms 104 are only partiallysurrounded by the frangible boundaries 202, while remainders of thefrangible engagement mechanisms 104 extend to edges of the flanges 114in which they are formed, and are thereby fully detached from the flange114 even before the container is first opened. FIG. 8A is a view fromabove of an embodiment shown open before first closing thereof, and FIG.8B is a view from above of the container of FIG. 8A shown after thefirst closing thereof.

FIGS. 9A through 9I present, in cross section, a variety of differentconfigurations of wing hinge 206 that are included in variousembodiments of the present invention. It can be seen from the figuresthat in various embodiments the wing hinge 206 includes at least oneportion that is U-shaped, V-shaped, or semi-circular in shape. Forclarity of illustration, item numbers are provided only for FIG. 9A, butare easily extended to FIGS. 9B-9I.

It should also be noted in FIGS. 9A through 9I that the frangibleboundary 202 includes regions 900 proximate the wings 204 that areinitially attached with perforations to the surrounding flange 114,while regions 902 of the frangible boundary 202 that are proximate thejoining region 200 are fully severed from the surrounding flange 114even before the first opening of the container. This arrangement furtherenhances the bending of the wings 204 out of the plane of the flange 116when the container is first opened.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for the purposes of illustration and description. Each andevery page of this submission, and all contents thereon, howevercharacterized, identified, or numbered, is considered a substantive partof this application for all purposes, irrespective of form or placementwithin the application. This specification is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure.

Although the present application is shown in a limited number of forms,the scope of the invention is not limited to just these forms, but isamenable to various changes and modifications. The disclosure presentedherein does not explicitly disclose all possible combinations offeatures that fall within the scope of the invention. The featuresdisclosed herein for the various embodiments can generally beinterchanged and combined into any combinations that are notself-contradictory without departing from the scope of the invention. Inparticular, the limitations presented in dependent claims below can becombined with their corresponding independent claims in any number andin any order without departing from the scope of this disclosure, unlessthe dependent claims are logically incompatible with each other.

I claim:
 1. A container comprising: a base surrounded by a base rim; abase flange extending outward from the base rim; a lid surrounded by alid rim, the lid being attachable to the base so as to close thecontainer; a lid flange extending outward from the lid rim, the lidflange being configured to lie flat against the base flange when thecontainer is closed; a fixed engagement mechanism formed in a firstflange that is either the lid flange or the base flange, the fixedengagement mechanism including a first attachment region; and afrangible engagement mechanism formed in a second flange that is theother of the lid flange and the base flange, the frangible engagementmechanism comprising: a second attachment region configured for secureattachment to the first attachment region when the container is closed;a wing extending from and attached to the second attachment region; anda frangible boundary at least partially surrounding the secondattachment region and the wing, such that the frangible engagementmechanism is frangibly detachable from the second flange; the fixed andfrangible engagement mechanisms being separate from and independent ofany pull tabs that are included in the lid and base flanges; the fixedand frangible engagement mechanisms being configured such that: upon afirst closure of the container the first and second attachment regionsare securely attached to each other, the wing being attached to thesecond flange while lying flat against the first flange; upon completionof a first opening of the container after said first closure, thefrangible boundary is broken free of the second flange, such that thefrangible engagement mechanism is detached from the second flange andremains securely attached to the fixed engagement mechanism, an orificebeing thereby formed in the second flange; and during said first openingof the container, the frangible boundary is severed first in a regionproximate the second attachment region before it is severed in a regionproximate the wing, thereby causing the wing to be bent at an obliqueangle from a plane of the first flange before the frangible engagementmechanism is fully detached from the second flange; and upon a secondclosing of the container after said first opening, the wing passesthrough the orifice in the second flange and extends upward at theoblique angle from a plane of the second flange.
 2. The container ofclaim 1, wherein the frangible engagement mechanism further includes atleast one wing hinge located between the second attachment region andthe wing.
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the wing hinge is aliving hinge.
 4. The container of claim 3, wherein the wing hingeincludes at least one U-shaped portion.
 5. The container of claim 3,wherein the wing hinge includes at least one V-shaped portion.
 6. Thecontainer of claim 3, wherein the wing hinge includes at least onesemi-circular portion.
 7. The container of claim 1, wherein before saidfirst opening the frangible boundary is attached by a perforatedattachment to the second flange.
 8. The container of claim 1, whereinthe frangible boundary completely surrounds the frangible engagementmechanism.
 9. The container of claim 1, wherein the frangible boundaryonly partially surrounds the frangible engagement mechanism, while aremaining boundary of the frangible engagement mechanism extends to anedge of the second flange and is not attached to the second flange. 10.The container of claim 1, wherein the container is a plastic container.11. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid is attached to the base bya container hinge along a hinged side of the container.
 12. Thecontainer of claim 11, wherein the container hinge is a living hinge.13. The container of claim 11, wherein the container hinge is a scoredhinge.
 14. The container of claim 11, wherein the first and secondflanges in which the fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms areformed extend from a side of the container that is opposite to thehinged side of the container.
 15. The container of claim 1, furthercomprising a pull tab configured to facilitate opening of the container,the pull tab being separate from and independent of the fixed andfrangible engagement mechanisms.
 16. The container of claim 1, whereinwhen the container is closed after the first opening thereof, the lid isattached to the base by a secondary attachment mechanism that isindependent of the fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms.
 17. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the secure attachment of the first andsecond attachment regions includes an interference fit between the firstand second attachment regions.
 18. The container of claim 1, wherein thesecure attachment of the first and second engagement regions includesspot welding of the first attachment region to the second attachmentregion.